Pin feed platen roll



Aug. 27, 1935. J. Q. SHERMAN ET AL 2,012,239

PIN FEED PLATEN ROLL Filed Feb. 2'7, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 27,1935. J, Q, SHERMAN ET AL PIN FEED PLATEN ROLL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledFeb. 27, 1932 ATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1935. SHERMAN r AL 2,012,289

PIN FEED PLATEN ROLL Filed Feb. 27, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1935. J. Q. SHERMAN El AL PIN FEED PLATEN ROLL FiledFeb. 2' 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, I935 PATENTOFFICE PIN FEED PLATEN ROLL John Q. Sherman and Albert W. Metzner,Dayton, Ohio; said Metzner assignor to said Sherman Application February27, 1932, Serial No. 595,510

40 Claims. (01. 197-133) This invention relates to writing machineplatens, and more particularly to a platen roll usable to alternatelyfeed record material positively by pin type feeding devices, and to feedsuch material frictionally, past writing position.

In the present invention there is contemplated a platen roll havingspaced series of retractable feeding pins projected radially beyond theperiphery of the roll for engagement with marginally punched paper to bepositively fed past writing position, and having means for retractingthe pins and a cover for the feeding pin holes positioned thereoversimultaneously with the retraction of the pins, to afford a smoothwriting surface for the frictionally fed record material which may be ofgreater width than the marginally punched material employed with thefeeding pins, and hence overlie the positions of the pin feed devices.

20 The object of the invention is to simplify the construction, as wellas the means and mode of operation of writing machine platens wherebythey will not only be cheap in construction, but will be more eflicientin use, capable of applica- 25 tion to a wider variety of recordmaterials and for different purposes, easily controlled, and unlikely toget out of order.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide a platenroll suitable to be in- 30 terchanged with the ordinary platen roll ofconventional typewriting machines by which an ordinary commercial formof typewriter may be quickly and easily interchanged into a billingmachine for manifolding multiple copies which 35 are positively fed pastwriting position and hence maintained accurately in registering relationwith each other. 1

\ A further object of the invention is to provide an improved platenroll which is usable to alter- 40 nately positively feed andfrictionally feed'record material thereabout past the writing position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pin type of feedingdevice which can be readily and quickly transformed to frictionally feed45 unpunchedpaper.

' Another object'of this invention is to provide a supplemental platenfor use in connection with a platen in a writing machine having aninterrupted writing surface so as to present a con- 50 tinuous writingsurface to the writing material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plurality of platens ofdissimilar writing surfaces that may be used selectively so as topresent a writing surface suitable for the particular 55 writingmaterial. This may be accomplished by providing one platen member of aresilient material and the other platen member of a firmer material sothat for certain types of work where it is desirable to use a resilientplaten the resilient platen may be used and for other work requiring 5 afirmer platen, the other platen member may be used.

Another object of this invention is to provide a friction feed and apositive feed without interchanging platen rolls, and at the same time10 presenting a continuous writing surface to the writing material whenthe friction feed is used.

Another object of this invention is to shield irregularities in a pintype feed for the writing material when the pin type feed is moved intoinoperative position and the friction feed is used. This has beenaccomplished by providing a shield having an operative and inoperativeposition, the shield when mounted in operative position covering theapertures provided for the passage of the feeding pins through thesurface of the platen, and when in inoperative position being removedfrom the writing position.

Another object of this invention is to optionally' positively feed thewriting material or frictionally feed the writing material, and toautomatically present a continuous writing surface to the writingmaterial when this material is frictionally fed.

Another object of this invention is to move the positive feed intoinoperative position and to present a continuous writing surface to thewriting material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pin type feedingapparatus adapted for feeding marginally punched record material whichmay be quickly and easily transformed to feed unpunched material ofequal or unequal width.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and easilyadjustable means for affording a smooth writing area over the positionof pin type feeding devices when the latter are retracted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pin type feedingdevice having retractable pins, and a cover element automaticallypositioned over the feed pin holes upon retraction of the pins.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as willmore fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and. themode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described andset forth in the claims.

iii.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred,but obviously not necessarily, the only forms of the embodiment of theinvention, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typewriter platen roll inwhich the present invention has been embodied. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the roll, viewed from the rear of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Figs. 4

and 5 are transverse sectional views showing the feeding pins and theadjustable mask or cover in different positions of adjustment. Fig. 6 isa detail perspective view of the cover or mask removed from the roll.Fig. 6a is a detail'view of the pin wheel feed latch. Fig. 7 is aperspec- .tive view of a conventional form of typewriting machineincluding a platen roll embodying the present invention. Fig. 8 is aperspective view illustrating a modified form of the cover or mask forthe pin feed devices. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the coveror mask element shown in Fig. 8 removed from the cylinder. Fig. 10 is aperspective view of a platen roll embodying a further modification. Fig.11 is a perspective view of the guard or cover means and the support andadjusting means therefor illustrated in Fig. 10 from which the platenroll has been detached. Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of theadjusting means shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate afurther modification showing the guard or cover device in alternativepositions of adjustment, Fig. 13 showing the guard or cover elementretracted to permit positive feeding of the record material by the pintype feeding devices, while Fig. 14 shows the guard or cover elementadjusted for frictionally fed record material. Fig. 15 is an endelevation of the device illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. Fig.- 16discloses a shield similar to the one disclosed in Fig.

vices which successively engage V marginally punched holes in superposedstrips of record material to advance such strips in unison past thewriting position. As heretofore employed such manifold marginallypunched record material is fed through a writing machine especiallyadapted thereto, generally referred to as a billing machine which,because of the presence of the feeding pins, is not adaptable forfrictionally feeding other forms of stationary. One of the primarypurposes of the present invention is to enable the ordinary conventionaltype of typewriter to be transformed at will into a billing machine withpin type feeding devices for positively feeding marginally punchedmanifolding strips, and when not in use for such purpose enable themachine to be used in theordinary manner forfrictionallyfeedingcon'ventlonal unpunched stationary used in letter writing and the"like. To this end writing machine platens embodying the presentinvention are made interchangeable with the standard platen rolls of thepopular forms of typewriters now available upon the market. a

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I indicates an ordinaryconventional form of typewriter of which 2 is the platen roll revolublymounted in the reciprocatory carriage 3 in the usual manner. and'isactuated by any suitable line spacing mechanism, and carries at each endthereof the usual knob 5 by which the platen roll may be manuallyrotated. The platen roll 2 is supported upon a shaft 4 revolubly mountedin suitable bearings in the typewriter carriage 3 from which theoriginal friction feed platen roll has been removed.

The platen roll may be rubber covered, as is usual in typewriterconstructions, but for manifolding purposes, for which the presentfeeding mechanism is especially adapted, such cylinder may, if desired,be of metal to afford a harder abutment surface for the impingement ofthe typewriter type. a

For illustrative purposes, but with no intent to unduly limit theapplication or scope of the invention, there has been illustrated aplaten roll adapted for positively feeding comparatively narrowmarginally punched manifolding material and for frictionally feedingwider unpunched stationery. To this end one set of feeding pins islocated contiguous to the end of the roll or cylinder while the secondset of feeding pins is disposed in midlength position.

Obviously the relative spacing of the feeding pins longitudinally of theplaten roll or cylinder may differ on different cylinders according tothe requirement and conditions of use.

The detail construction of the platen roll or cylinder is bestillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Surrounding the axial shaft 4 is a tubularsleeve 6 having bearing bushings 5 at each end and mounted upon theshaft 4 for limited to and fro rocking motion relative thereto. Looselyjournaled upon the tubular sleeve 6 are two feeding pin. carrying heads1 and 8. These heads I and 8 are reversely disposed in spaced relationand are peripherally rabbeted at 9 to receive a metallic cylinder 10surrounded by a rubber cylinder II or covered by other suitablesurfacing material. The heads I and 8 are tightly pressed within theopposite end of the cylinders l0 and H to form an integral unit. Securedto the head 1, preferably by being pressed tightly therein is a disclike head 12 having a hub pcra head l1 fixedly secured therein by beingfirmly pressed into the end of the cylinder, which head I! is revolubleupon the tubular sleeve 6. The

several heads I, 8 and I! thus revolubly support the roll or cylinderupon the tubular sleeve 6 for rotary motion thereabout under influenceof the axial shaft 4 which has driving connection with the cylinder orroll through the hub 13 and disc 12 at one end thereof. The head or'collar' I4 is merely a. coupling device for fixedly interconnecting thesectional portions 15 and Iii-of the cylinder or roll with theintermediate pin carrying head I. E

Each of the headsl and 8 is provided'with a series of radially disposedgrooves 38 communieating with holes 2| in the periphery of such head.Within the grooves 39 and holes 2| are mounted reciprocatory feedingpins 22 which are adapted, during the rotation of the platen, to beautomatically reciprocated within such grooves whereby in one positionof the platen the pins will be projected through the holes 2| beyond theperiphery of the head, while in another position such feeding pins willbe retracted wholly within the head. For the purpose of reciprocatingsuch feeding pins 22, box cams 23 are provided interiorly of the heads Iand 8. These cams 23 are mounted upon hubs or collars 24 fixedly securedto the tubular sleeve 6, preferably by pinning as at 25. The marginallaterally extending flanges of the box cams 23 engage within notches 26laterally disposed in the feeding pins 22. The box cams 23 are eccentricrelative to the roll or cylinder. As the cylinder or roll is rotatedabout the cams 23 which are stationarily held by the tubular sleeve 6,the notched pinsfollowing the eccentric path of such cams receive to andfro motion causing the pins to be progressively projected and retracted.The point in the rotation of the cylinder at which the pins will beprojected beyond the periphery of the roll or cylinder, is dependentupon the relative position of the cams 23. In one position of such cams,the pins will be projected in proximate relation with the writing lineor writing position and hence will have operative engagement with themarginally punched record material. By rotatively adjusting the cams 23through rocking motion of the tubular sleeve 6, the cams 23 arepositioned to retract the feeding pins 22, adjacent to the writingposition and to project such pins beyond the writing position where theywill be inoperative to engage the punched material. Fig, 4 shows thepins advanced in the operative position, that is, in proximity to thewriting line while Fig. 5 shows the pins advanced in an inoperativeposition due to a reversal of position of the guiding cams 23.

For the purpose of adjusting the cams 23, which as before stated arefixedly secured to the rocked sleeve 6, this sleeve is provided at oneend with a knurled or crenate adjusting head 28 having a hub 29 fixedlysecured to the rock sleeve 6 by the set screw 30. The adjusting head 28is provided with spaced notches, in either of which is en ageable aspring pressed detent plunger 3| carried upon adisc like head 32 looselyjournaled upon the shaft 4. Closely adjacent to the disc 32 is a seconddisc 33 having a bifurcated arm34 engageable with any suitable cross rodor tie member 35 found upon the conventional writing machine.Thestraddling engagement of the bifurcated arm 34 with the writingmachine carriage frame or rod 35 prevents rotation of the disc33relative to the shaft 4 and holds such disc stationary. The detentcarrying disc 32 is in turn fixedly secured to such stationarily helddisc 33 by means of a connection screw 36. The disc 33 is provided witha series of holes 31 through any of which the screw 36 may be introducedinto engagement with the detent carrying disc 32 thereby changing therelative position of the bifurcated arm.

34 to accommodate the device to. different writing machineconstructions. By withdrawing thedetent 3| from one notch in the head 28and,

then rotating the head 28 to thereby rock the tubular sleeve 6 and withit the box cams 23', such vcams are adjusted rotatively to change theposition at which the feeding pins 22 are projected beyond the periphery.of the roll. The detent may then be engaged in the other of the notchesin such head 28.

The head 8, disposed at midlength of the platen roll or cylinder, isperipherally grooved as at 39 within which groove the feeding pins 22are projected by their travel about the eccentric cams 23. Secured tothe rocked sleeve 6 at the end of the cylinder is a disc 40 engaged withthe sleeve 6 by the set screw 4| to which disc is connected a 1segmental plate 42 extending in overlapping relation with the section N5of the roll or cylinder, and having at its extremity a curved finger 43forming a cover or mask for the feed pin holes 2|.

The finger 43 is disposed within the peripheral groove with its outersurface flush with that of the cylinder or roll. The disc 40 and with itthe segmental plate and cover or mask finger 43, are given a to and frorocking motion in unison with the rocking adjustment of the tubularsleeve 6 2 necessary to adjust the feeding pins. When the rock sleeve 6and with it the cams 23 are adjusted to position to retract the feedingpins from the writing position, the cover finger or mask 43 isautomatically advanced into such writing po- 2 sition to cover the holesfrom which the pins have been withdrawn and to fill the peripheralgroove thereby presenting a flush cylindrical surface. Upon reverseadjustment of the rocking sleeve 6 to return the feeding pins tooperative engagement with the punched record, the adjustment of theparts effect automatic retraction of the cover finger or mask 43uncovering the feed pin holes 2| contiguous to the writing positionthrough which the pins 22 are projected by the cams 23. 3 The segmentalplate 42 occupies at all times a position over an inoperative part ofthe cylinder or roll where it does not interfere with the travel of thepaper or other record material about the cylinder. The pin adjustingmechanism, hereinbefore de-, scribed, does not, per se, form any ,partof the present invention except in association with other parts andmechanisms, but has been described and claimed in copending applicationSerial No. 542,855, filed June 8, 1931, now Patent No. 2,000,649, May 7,1935.

While the construction heretofore. described and illustrated in Figs. 1to 6 inclusive is the preferable and commercial embodiment of theinvention, it is obvious that it may be otherwise applied to typewritingmachines. In Figs. 7 and. 8, the platen roll 2 is shown formed with aperipheral groove 39 within which the feed pins 22 are projected beyondthe periphery of the roll into engagement with the marginallypunchedrecord material. I In lieu of the guard or mask adjust ablymounted upon the rolland automatically; shifted into and out ofoperative position by, the adjustment of the feeding pins, there ,i inFigs. 7 and 8, and in detail in Fig.9-,;'an arcu-f ate guard finger ormask 44 which may beeither permanently or detachably mounted .upon.,theframe rod 35 of the typewritercarriage. curved guard- 44 is adapted, tobe positioned; in the peripheral groove 39 when the feeding pins areretracted, and isof suiiicient' length tqg jex tend-past the writingposition thereby affordinga smooth flush surface over which unpunchedstationery may be frictionally fed and across which 7 the writingoperationmay be extended. In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown a keeper forretaining the marginally punched .paper loosely in engagement oted uponthe carriage frame rod 35 and having 7 withthe feeding pins comprisinganarm 45 piva slotted arcuate head 46 which overlies the feeding pins,as shown at the left in Fig. 7. This slotted head serves to looselyretain the marginally punched material in engagement with the feedingpins which register with the slot therein thereby preventing anyaccidental disengagement or escape of the material.

As a further modification, there is shown in Fig 10, a platen rollhaving multiple peripheral grooves in which the respective sets offeeding pins are operative. Journalled upon the axial shaft 4 of theroll 2 at each end of the latter, is

a concentric segmental shell or .housing 48 carrying integral arcuatefingers 41 positioned within the peripheral grooves 45 of the platenroll and movable circumferentially therein by the oscillation of theshell or housing, into and out of overlying relation with the feed pinholes contiguous to the writing position. The integral arcuate fingers41 form covers or masks for the feed pin holes and lie within theperipheral grooves fiush with the cylindrical surface of the platen rollforming a smooth writing surface over which the writing operation may beextended when employ ing ordinary unpunched stationery. To adjust theguard or mask fingers 41 into and out of writing position, thesupporting segmental shell or housing 46 carries at one end a sector 48having a finger lever 49 by which the shell or housing may be oscillatedabout the shaft 4 and independently of the platen roller. The sector 48has therein a concentric slot 49a having at each end a notch 50, withinwhich a detent latch 5| is engageable to lock the sector and thereby theguard or mask fingers 41 in adjusted positions. In Figs.

' 10 and 11 these parts are shown locked in their advanced or operativeposit-ions, while in Fig. 12 the latch is engaged in the notch at theopposite end of the slot thereby locking the parts in retractedposition.

A further and simplified guard means for transforming the platen rollfrom a positive feed device to a frictional feed device is shown inFigs. 13 to 16 inclusive. In this simplified form of embodiment of theinvention, the platen roller or cylinder 2 is not provided with theperipheral groove or grooves as heretofore described, but is providedwith reciprocatory feeding pins 22 progressively advanced and retractedas the platen is rotated. In this construction it is not essential thatmeans be provided for changing the position in which the pins areprojected from operative to inoperative relation, but the feed pins 22may be progressively projected beyond the periphery as they leave thewriting position and later retracted. Mounted upon a suitable supportingrodfl, forming a part of the traveling platen carriage, is a curvedguard plate 54 of such extent as to project beyond thefeeding pins 22and so curved as to clear such pins. The rela-- tive extent and shape ofthe guard plate is best shown in Fig. 15. When the feeding pins 22 arenot to beemployed for positively advancing the manifolding material, theguard plate '4 is turned downward to th'e'position shown in Fig. 15, inwhich it deflects the manifoldlng material away from the platen roll andoverlies the feeding pin's thus preventing the engagement of themanifolding material therewith. The guard is preferably of sumcientextent to project slightly beyond the.:writing.-position,.as shownsinFigs. 14 and 16, and form the abutment or platen against which the typebars impinge.

' This affords a smoothwriting surface over the area perforated forprojection of the feeding 14 and 16 is in reality a supplemental platenthat may be inserted intermediate the writing material and the rotaryplaten. If, for example, the rotary platen is made of a resilientmaterial such as rubber, the supplemental platen may be made of a firmermaterial such as sheet metal so as to present a harder surface to thewriting.

material. This is very desirable where one type of material demands adifferent writing surface than another type of material. Thissupplemental platen is not limited to the use in a machine having a pinwheel feed, as it may be used in any other writing machine, such as, forexample, a noiseless typewriter having a comparatively soft resilientroll platen, when certain types of work demand a platen furnishing afirmer writing surface. Likewise, if the roll platen is made from metalsuch as aluminum, it may be desirable at times to use a supplementalplaten having a resilient surface. If so, the supplemental platen couldbe made from a suitable resilient material and may be disposedintermediate the writing material and the metallic platen so as topresent the desired writing surface to the writing material.

As may best be seen in Figs. 17 to 20, a cam 60 integral with the disc32 releases the paper friction feed mechanism when the pin wheel cam 23is moved so as to cause the pin wheel feed mechanism to be operative.The cam 60 engages a roll 62 carried by the paper release lever 64 so asto release the paper feed mechanism when the pins are in operativeposition. Thepaper release mechanism includes the lever 64 pivoted at 66and actuates an arm 68 pivoted to member III keyed to a cam 12 thatengages the pivotally mounted arms 14 and 16 pivoted at 18 and 80 so asto throw feed rolls 82 and 84 out of operative position when pressingdown on lever 64, or raising the camv 62 as viewed in Figs. 18 and 19.When the cam 60 is in the position disclosed in Fig. 18, the frictionfeed rolls 82 and 84 are out of engagement with the rotary platen 2, andwhen the cam 64 is in the position disclosed in Fig. 19, the frictionfeed rolls 82 and 04 are in operative position and in engagement withthe platen roll 2 unless the friction release '4 is manually operated bythe operator. The springs 86 and I8 disposed between the friction feedrolls 82 and 84 and suitable seats carried by the carriage urge the feedrolls against the platen 2.

From the foregoing descriptions, it may readily be seen that as the pinwheel feed is actuated from inoperative position to operative position,the friction feed mechanism is automatically released, and vice versa.The actuating mechanism described is merely illustrative of theprinciple, as any other suitable mechanism for automatically releasingthe;.friction when the pin wheel'feed is used, and vice versa, may 3esubstituted within the purview of this inven- From the above descriptionit will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of thecharacter described possessing the particular features of advantagebefore enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible ofmodification in its form, proportions, detail construction andarrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved orsacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less -specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its formsand/ or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a writing machine, the combination of a platen having optionally apositive and a friction feed for feeding the writing material with ashield intermediate the writing material and the platen whenfrictionally feeding the writing material.

2. In a writing machine, the combination of a friction feed for feedingthe writing material, said friction feed including a platen with meansfor positively feeding the writing material, said means having anoperative and inoperative position, and a shield located intermediatethe writing material and the platen when said means is inoperative.

3. In a writing machine, the combination of a mechanism for frictionallyfeeding writing material, said mechanism including a platen withpositive feeding means having an operative and inoperative position,said feeding means when in operative position replacing the frictionfeeding means in feeding the writing material, and a shield interposedbetween the writing material and the platen when said feeding means isin the inoperative position.

4. In a writing machine, the combination of a platen having aperturestherein interrupting the writing surface, pin feeding means associatedwith the platen to feed the writing material with a shield having anoperative and inoperative position, said shield when in the operativeposition being interposed intermediate said writing material and saidplaten so as to present a smooth writing surface at which time the pinfeeding means is inoperative.

5. In a writing machine, the combination of a rotary platen having anannular recess, a shield located in said recess, said shield having anoperative and inoperative position, the shield when in operativeposition filling said recess at the writing position as the platenrotates so as to present a smooth writing surface under thewritingmaterial. l

6. In a writing machine, the combination of a rotary platen having anannular offset therein, a shield projecting into said offset and movableinto and out of operative positioncontinuous to the writing positionuponthe platen, said shield when in operative position filling saidoffset atthe writing position as the platen rotates whereby a smoothwriting surface is presented to the writing material. and means forlocking said'shield in operative position. v

7. In a writing machine,'the combination of a rotary platen having anannular offset therein, a shield projecting into said offset and movableinto and-out of operative position contiguous to the writing positionupon the platen, said shield when in operative position filling saidoffset at the writing position as the platen rotates whereby a smoothwriting surface is presented to the writing material, and means forlocking said shield in inoperative position. a

8. In a writing machine, the combination of arotary platen having anannular recess with a. shield located in said recess, said shield havingan operative and inoperative position, said shield when in operativeposition, filling said recess at the writing position as the platenrotates where--' by a smooth writing surface is presented to the writingmaterial, and means for moving said shield from operative to inoperativeposition, and for locking said shield in either position.

9. In a writing machine, thecombination of a rotary platen having anannular recess with a shield located in said recess, said shield havingan operative and inoperative position, said shield when in operativeposition filling said recess at the writing position as the platenrotates whereby a smooth writing surface is presented to the writingmaterial, and means for moving said shield into either position andlocking said shield.

10. In a writing machine, the combination of a pin wheel feed, said pinwheel feed including pins eccentrically mounted with respect to theplaten so that for a portion of a revolution the pins extend beyond thesurface of the feeding platen to engage the writing material, and meansfor moving said pins to an inoperative position with a shield interposedintermediate the writing material and the pins when said pins are inthe'inoperative position so as to present a smooth writing surface tothe writing material.

11. In a writing machine, a rotary platen having an interrupted writingsurface, positive feeding means cooperating with the interrupted platento feed writing material, a second platen having an operative andinoperative position, said second platen presenting a continuous writingsurface to the writing material when in operative position at which timethe pin feeding means is inoperative.

12. In a writing machine, a pair of platens, one of said platens havingan interrupted writing surface, positive feeding means cooperating withthe interrupted platen to feed writing material, and the other acontinuous writing surface, one

of said platens having an operative and inopera'tive position, said oneplaten being interposed intermediate the writing material and the otherplaten when in operative position at which time the pin feeding means isinoperative. 13. In a writing machine, writing material feedingmechanism including a rotary platen having a pin wheel feed interruptingits writing surface, and means for making the pin wheel feed ineffectiveand for covering the apertures so as to present a continuous writingsurface to the writing material. a a a 14. In a writing machine, awriting material friction feeding mechanism with a pin wheel feedmechanism synchronously operated with a platen, said pin wheel feedinterrupting'the writing surface of said platen, mechanism for makingsaid pin wheel feed ineffective, and a shield for covering the aperturesvacated by the pins in said pin wheel feed so as to present-a continuouswriting surface to the writing material.

15. In a writing machine having a writing mechanism. a friction feedingmechanism for supplying the writing material to the writing interruptingthe writing surface of the platen;

a mechanism for selecting one of said feeding mechanisms, said mechanismincluding a shield covering at least a portion of said platen when thewriting material is frictionally fed so as to present a continuouswriting surface to the writing material.

16. In a writing machine, a friction feeding mechanism including aplaten having an interrupted surface, and positive feed having anoperative and inoperative position, with means for making .the surfaceof said platen continuous when the positive feeding mechanism is ininoperative position.

17. In a writing machine, a friction mechanism for feeding writingmaterial, said friction feed ineluding a platen, a pin wheel forpositively supplying the writing material, said pin wheel feed includingapertures for receiving the pins, means for moving the pin wheel feedinto operative position and the friction feed into inoperative position,and a shield covering the apertures of said pin wheel feed when thepositive feed is in inop-' erative position.

18. In a writing machine having a platen, a friction feed having anoperative and inoperative position relative to the platen, a pin wheelfeed having .an operative and an inoperative position. said pin wheelfeed being so related to the platen as to interrupt the full writingsurface, a mechanism for moving one of said feeds into operativeposition and at the same time moving the other feed out of operativeposition, and an adjustable member providing means to lengthen thewriting surface presented to the writing material when the pin wheelfeed is out of operative position.

19. In a writing machine, a platen, a friction feed, means for releasingsaid friction feed, a pin wheel feed having an operative and aninoperative position, said means for releasing said friction feed movingsaid pin wheel feed into operative position when releasing the frictionfeed, and a shield disposed intermediate the writing material and theplaten.

20. In a writing machine having a platen, a friction feed havingoperative and inoperative position relative to the platen, a pin wheelfeed, adjustable to operative and inoperative condition, said platenhaving an interrupted writing surface, mechanism for moving the pinwheel feed from operative to inoperative position and for causing thefriction feed to operatively engage the writing material, and anadjustable member providing means continuing the writing surfacepresented to the writing material past the interruption of the platenwhen the positive feed is out of operative position.

21. In a writing machine, a friction feeding mechanism, a release forsaid friction feeding mechanism, a positive feed having an operative andan inoperative position, mechanism for releasing said friction feedingmechanism and for moving the positive feed from inoperative to operativeposition, one of said feeds including a platen and a shield that isselectively interposed intermediate the writing material and saidplaten. 22. In a writing machine, a friction feeding mechanism, arelease for the friction feeding mechanism, a pin wheel feed, one ofsaid feeds including a platen, a shield interposed intermediate theplaten and the writing material when 7 the friction feed is operativeand a mechanism for simultaneously. releasing the friction feed and formoving the pin wheel feed into operative position.

23. In a writing machine, a friction feedingv mechanism, a. release forsaid friction feeding mechanism, a pin wheel feeding mechanism having anoperative and an inoperative position, a shield mounted intermediate thewriting ma-' terial and the platen when the pin wheel feed is ininoperative position and mech- 1 anism for simultaneously releasing thefriction feeding mechanism, moving the pin wheel feed mechanism intooperative position and inter-posing the shield intermediate the writingma- 15 terial and the platen.

24. In a writing machine, a friction feeding mechanism, said feedingmechanism including a platen, a pin wheel feeding mechanism, a channelin said platen having apertures for receiving said pin wheel mechanism,a curved mask locatedin said channel, means for moving said mask intowriting position when the pin wheel feed is actuated out of operativeposition so as to present a continuous writing surface to the writing 25material.

25. In a writing machine, a platen, said platen having an annularchannel, a pin wheel feed having an operative and an inoperativeposition, the pins of said pin wheel feed extending through apertureslocated in said channel, and a mask situated in said channel moving intowriting position when the pin wheel feed is moved out of operativeposition so as to present a continuous writing surface to the writingmaterial.

26. In a writing machine having a platen, a shield for said platen, apin wheel feed mechanism having an operative and an inoperativeposition, and means for moving the shield intermediate the writingmaterial and the platen and for actuating the pin wheel feed out ofoperative -40 position.

27. In a writing machine, a platen, a pin wheel feeding mechanism havingan operative and inoperative position, and a shield disposedintermediate the writing material and the pin wheel 45 feed when the pinwheel feed is out of operative position.

28. In a writing machine, a friction feeding means having an operativeand inoperative position, a pin wheel feeding means having an 50operative and inoperative position, said pin wheel feeding meansincluding an interrupted writing surface, a mechanism for moving one ofsaid feeding means into operative position, a second mechanism formoving the other feeding means 5 out of operative position, and a shieldactuated by one of said mechanisms for presenting a continuous surfaceto the writing material when the pin wheel feeding means is out ofoperative position.

29. In a writing machine, the combination of a writing material feedingmechanism including a rotary platen having a pin wheel feeding mechanisminterrupting the writing surface, with a curved shield overhanging saidplaten for cover- 65 ing the apertures of the pin wheel feed so as topresent a continuous surface to the writing material.

30. In a writing machine, the combination of a 7 pin wheel feedmechanism including a head having apertures for the pins, said mechanismbeing synchronously operated with a platen, with an overhanging shieldfor covering the apertures vacated by the pins in said pin wheel feed so7 as to present a continuous writing surface to the writing material atwhich time the pin wheel feed mechanism is inoperative.

31. Writing machine platen having therein a series of openings,retractable writing material feeding pins mounted in said openings,means to retract and extend said pins, and a shield adjustable in unisonwith the pins for covering the openings adjacent to the writing positionwhen the pins are retracted.

32. A writing machine platen including writing material feeding pinsadjustable to operative and inoperative positions and a shield memberlikewise adjustable into operative and inoperative positions andadjusting means common to the pins and shield for presenting the pinsand the shield alternately in operative position.

33. A writing machine platen including retractable writing materialfeeding pins occupying a portion of the platen surface and an adjustableshield overlying the position of the pins when the latter are retractedfor presenting a smooth writing surface coincident with the surfaceotherwise occupied by certain of said pins, and adjusting means commonto the pins and the shield for alternating the pins and shield into andout of operative and inoperative positions.

34. A writing machine platen including a retratable writing materialfeeding pins adjusting means for retracting the pins and a shieldadjustable into position toaiford a smooth writing surface coincidentwith that previously occupied by the pins.

35. A writing machine platen including a plurality of writing materialfeeding pins and an adjustable shield movable into and out of positionoverlying the pins to present a substantially smooth writing surfaceover which the material is movable independently of the pins.

36. A writing machine platen adapted for alternate positive and frictionfeeding of writing material including a plurality of writing materialfeeding pins for positively feeding the writing material relative to theplaten, and a shield adapted to be interposed between the pins andwriting material over which the material is frictionally fedindependently of the feeding pins.

37. A writing machine platen including a series of retractible feedingpins, means for effecting the extension of the retractible pins atdifferent relatively spaced points and a shield overlying one positionof projection of the pins when such pins are being projected at adifferent point.

38. A writing machine platen including a series of retractible feedingpins, a shield for overlying the position at which such pins areprojected, and control means for alternating the position of the shieldand that at which the retractible pins are projected.

39. A writing machine platen including a series of retractible feedingpins projectable into operative position substantially at the writingline of the machine, a shield movable into and out of likeposition atthe writing line, and control means for alternating the feeding pins andthe shield at the writing line.

40'. A writing machine platen including a series of retractible feedingpins extendible in offset relation with the writing line of the platen,and a shield operable in the writing lines thereof to aiford acontinuous writing surface past the position of the pins.

JOHN Q. SHERMAN. ALBERT W. ME'IZNER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,012,289. August 27, 1935.

JOHN Q. SHERMAN, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5.first column, line 66, claim 6, for "continuous" read contiguous; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of September, A. D. 1935.

(Seal) Acting khilirifis i giigf of Patents.

